Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009)

This is a review of the PC version, although, I later played it again on a console and it was a much better experience. I also know there is a remastered version which I've heard both good and bad things about

It's a third person shooter and you are basically a newly recruited Ghostbuster. If you're familiar with the film series, you know what the deal is. You're investigating paranormal activity and capturing ghosts

Many of the actors from the films lend their voices to the game

The first time you fire up your Proton Pack is a blast and the trapping of ghosts will really make you feel like you're an actual Ghostbuster

If you're even just a mild fan of the films, I think you'll enjoy it. If you're a kid who grow up with Ghostbusters, I think it's impossible to not have some love for this game

There are some repetitive elements, but not enough to diminish the fun

It's not a long game, but it's brimming with imagination, so I was left satisfied. I just had so much fun with this game

I thought the story and voice acting were very good. None of the actors from the film seem to be phoning in their performances

A very fun game that captures the feel of the Ghostbusters films and basically serves as a fulfilling story that takes place between Ghostbusters 2 and Afterlife. I think Ackroyd has actually said that he considers the game to be part of Ghostbusters lore

(1,5 stars)

Intro

This is a third-person corridor shooter in which you walk through hallways and streets, holding left-mouse constantly to try and hit enemies that move erratically. If they're ghosts you also have to clumsily drag them to a trap. After an hour you get an additional weapon - a fire dart that quickly overheats your pack.

The Good

• They got all the original actors, even Max Von Sydow (Vigo).
• It seems like a very faithful representation of being a ghostbuster.
• Some of the writing is decent.
• Looks decent for a 2009 game.

The Bad

• It basically just rehashes the first two movies.
• It seems like a very faithful representation of being a ghostbuster.
• I.e. You do a boring and annoying job.
• Extremely linear.
• Virtually no variation in weapons.
• Boring upgrades that make stuff work slightly better.
• You constantly get knocked over.
• You constantly have to revive or get revived by other busters.
• Sometimes you're not sure what to do next.
• The game seemed to "hang" once as well. Still not sure how i fixed that.
• Pointless collectible system.
• Ghosts are proton sponges.

The Ugly

• Venkman being a creep gets less funny each year.
• It's just really boring.

Conclusion

I would rank the various Ghostbusters media as such:

• Ghostbusters 1 - 8/10
• Ghostbusters 2 - 4/10
• Ghostbusters: The Video Game 3/10
• Ghostbusters 2016 - 2/10

This game is just boring and annoying, and the writing and story don't even begin to make up for that.

Ghostbusters was the first pop culture franchise I ever loved. There are plenty of old photos of me brandishing my GhostPopper, Proton Pack and Ghost Trap, prepared for whatever paranormal threats might be just around the corner.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a love letter to that part of my brain. It's more than just fan service, though there's certainly plenty of that. Playing this game, I really felt like one of the Ghostbusters. I talked shop with Ray, tested highly dangerous equipment with Egon, navigated spooky locations with Winston and weathered Venkman's banter. We trapped ghosts together, we came to each other's aid, we recovered (and decorated our HQ with) a variety of strange artifacts. Every chapter felt as if I was playing cooperative multiplayer with those classic characters, which is such a fun experience for a longtime fan.

As a game, it's far from perfect: It's very short (less than 6 hours) and very linear. Lips frequently fall out of sync with their dialog. And this is clearly more of a port than a remaster... there are few graphical improvements, no multiplayer, no new special features or extras. The quality of the cut scenes also varies, with some exhibiting audio issues or compression artifacts.

If you're lukewarm on Ghostbusters or you already own the original release, it's a tough recommendation. But if you're a fan and you've either never played the original or you're interested in playing again on the go (Switch) or in 4K (PS4/Xbox One), then you have to ask yourself one question: Who ya gonna call?

I was skeptical at the beginning. Film conversions are rarely well done.

But this game really surprised me!

As a fan of the films (everyone should look in advance) you will not be disappointed. In both English and German localization, the original voices / dubbing voices are used, the soundtrack of the films is used and many small details found scattered across the levels creating an incredible atmosphere. Added with funny dialogues and a nice story.

The gameplay is standard, as well as the linear level design, expect no surprises. The look goes, for this no longer fresh game, absolutely fine.

The cult factor of the movies is transported great and it's just fun to throw out the ghost traps with the guys.

I liked this game a lot. To be a new Ghostbuster was perfect, I could tag along, enjoy their chats and join in with the sliming. The world looked so good and to revisit the locations from the film was so exciting. The dialogue between the characters was good too. Original voices and the classic "bants" between them. So, overall I'm happy with the game. Pleased I bought it and pleased I played it. I'm a satisfied customer.

However, if there was to be a sequel there are a few things which would be nice to see improved.

For example, it would be good if the game had a bit more depth to it. I loved chasing ghosts, but it did get a bit repetitive after a while. Some additional gameplay elements would have been nice, like driving the Ecto-1 or the Statue of Liberty or bits where we could interact with characters more (I like the Telltale games a lot). Because of that repetitive gameplay there were times when the game felt like it dragged a bit. Especially in the scenes that were not part of the original films. The game was also quite short. A few more hours would have been nice. Oh and also a co-op mode.

But other than that, it's my favorite Ghostbusters game since the Hal Laboratory one.